Automobile seat safety guard



Feb. 9, 1954 A. SINGER 2,668,583

AUTOMOBILE SEAT SAFETY GUARD Filed Sept. 24, 1951 INVENTOR. ALBERT SINGER ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE SEAT SAFETY GUARD Albert Singer, Berkeley, Calif.

Application September 24, 1951, `Serial No. 247,932

7 Claims. l

This invention relates to an automobile safety guard, and more particularly to a guard which is adapted to be detachably mounted on a seat of an automobile to prevent a passenger from flying forward and injuring himself as a result of sudden application of brakes or impact of the automobile against another object.

The device in question is especially useful for protecting a passenger in the front seat of an automobile sitting next to the driver because in many instances, at such location, sudden application of the brakes or sudden impact with another object causes the passenger to ily against the windshield Where the chances of injury are greater as a result of broken glass. However, the device has utility when employed with the rear seat of an automobile even though in such seat the possibility of injury to the passenger is not as great under the circumstances described.

lsummarizing the invention, the guard comprises a guard bar which is spaced forwardly with respect to the back rest of the automobile seat, and it is adapted normally to extend lengthwise of the back rest of the seat in a substantially horizontal position. A passenger may thus sit in back of the bar which protects him from ilying forward under the conditions noted. Means is provided for mounting the bar for pivotal or swinging movement along an upright plane, from the guarding position in front of the passenger to an upright position and vice versa. Such mounting of the bar permits the passenger to seat himself readily; and at the same time, movement of the bar along an upright plane avoids interference with parts of the automobile which might otherwise obtain were the bar to swing horizontally.

From the preceding, it is seen that my invention has as its objects, among others, the provision of an improved guard which will readily protect the passenger, is of simple and inexpensive construction, can be manipulated Without striking parts of the automobile, and which can be readily detachably mounted on or disconnected from an automobile seat.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is an isometric view of the safety guard detachably connected to the back rest of an automobile seat; the view illustrating in phantom lines the position of the guard bar for permitting the passenger to seat himself.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the guard; such view illustrating in phantom lines the position of the guard bar for permitting the passenger to seat himself readily and also depicting the guard detachably supported on the back rest of the seat which is shown schematically.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section in a plane indicated by line 3 3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertica1 section taken in a plane indicated by line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken in a plane indicated by line 5-5 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary isometric view illustrating the construction of the bracket for detachably mounting the guardV on the back rest of the automobile seat.

Referring to Fig. 1, the automobile seat illustrated comprises back rest 2 and seat cushion 3; the sides of the seat being indicated at 4. The safety guard comprises a U-shaped bracket 6 adapted to be detachably mounted over the top of back rest 2 at a central portion of the back rest between sides 4 of the seat. Connected to bracket 6 is a side bar l which extends forwardly from adjacent back rest 2. A guard bar 8 is pivotally connected to side bar l, adjacent the front end thereof by pivotal connecting means 9 to be subsequently described in detail, for swinging movement about the axis of side bar 'l and along an upright plane from a horizontal guarding position in front of the passenger to an upright position indicated by the phantom lines and vice versa.

It will be noted that the pivotal mounting means or connection 9 is adjacent the inner end of guard bar 8 in the guarding or horizontal position thereof, so that when the guard bar is moved to permit the passenger to enter his seat, it swings away from aside 4 of the seat, thereby obviating interference which might otherwise obtain Were the bar to swing to the side of the seat and consequently the side of the vehicle. Also because the guard bar swings along an upright plane, there is no interference to its movement from a guarding position to the upright position, and vice versa. In this connection, the seat illustrated in Fig. 1 is the front seat; and the drivers side is Vat the right looking at the view.

U-shaped bracket 6 is, preferably, formed of flattened metal tubing I l to provide for stability when the bracket ismounted over the back rest. To enhance stability, a relatively narrow U- shaped strip I2 of any suitable metal, is positioned on the underside of tubing Il, being secured to the front leg of tubingl Il-and rto the top extending over the back rest, by any suitable means, such as rivets I3. Rear leg Il!I of strip I2 extends lengthwise of the rear leg of the bracket, and is not secured rigidly to such rear leg but is movably connected thereto to provide a convenient mode for clamping the bracket to the back rest of the seat without damaging the same.

For effecting the clamping, a manually turnable screw I6 is threaded in the rear leg of the bracketadjacent the bottom thereof to apply pressurerto rear leg LIII: of strip: I2'-to rhold it against the back rest 2. To reinforce strip iii .in said seat in back of said bar, a side bar supat the portion thereof where screw I6 is adapted to apply pressure, a metal pad II is secured to leg I 4 by any suitable means, .such=as welding. i

Preferably, the entire bracket 6 is enveloped with any suitable fabric I8 to effect a sightly appeari said sideibarifor movement along an upright plane ance.

Side bar 'I is also preferably a metal tube and is preferably rounded, being secured to -the lower end of the front leg of bracket 6 by any suitable means; suchwa's i'welding; -The bar extends forwardlyfrom 'fthe bracket infaz'substantially' horizontaliposition. #To the front end of side bar i is secured a sleeve I9 by meansloffscrew 2i; sleeve Isa-formingl -af- =joif1rnal vfore-pivotal'connection of guard bar 8. Side bar I is aisozpreferaoly covered with'f'fabric 22.

Sleeve I9 projects-forwardlybe'yond theouter endof s'iele bar :1; and guard bar 8 -isjourrialled in such forwardlyprojecting portion of sleeve I9;y For this purpose, lguard bar -8 has` an elbow portion 23fat'a' right'angle-withrespectto the guardi-ng portion of such bar; elbowl portion 23 being journalled in sleeve i9: The end of elbow portion-:23 vis-provided with awbayonet-type, i.- shaped slot`2, the: longitudinal leg'of which is opentoward the endofportion 23; and a pin 2d is fixedonssleevev I9 tof-engage in slot 24. i The transverse'portionpf slot 2li*r is made jnstlong enough so thatthe respective ends of such transverse portionprovide abutments orstops for limiting'movement of lguard bar 8 at'both Vthe horizontal guardingpositionthereo and at lthe upright position whenfthe passenger is 'to be seated.

f-Latch-ing means-:isf provided for selectively holding-'guard bar 8in either theguarding position or the'Y upright position. 'With particular -referencefto Figs.- 2 and 3,*it will beno'ted that sleeve I9 has*aspiring-pressed'latching pin 2'I extending therethrough andi-whichl is slidably mounted transversely of the sleeve. PinZ'i has a-collar 28 -securedwhereto and a spring 29 is interposed'between'coilar 28 andthe inside of sleeve I9"to thrust pin-21 resiliently upwardly; the elbow portion 23 of theguard'bar being provided with y anL L-shaped slot 3l forclearing pin-21 and springv 'to permit the 'spring-to'bear against the sleeve, andy at the Asame time allow turning movement of -the'guard 'bar andiinsertion of elbow 23 into sleeve e IS past the spring.

Also elbow portion'23 `of the guard bar is provided with a pair `of apertures 32 spaced 90 apart; and sleeve I9 is provided with a single-aperture E3 adapted 'td-match with either of VVapertures 32.- :A ringed is connected to the under side of pin 2'! 'to 1enable pin 2'I to be pulled downwardly against the action of the spring. Yl`hus,^-by-pull ing pin `2`I` downwardly', Yguard bar SiA can be turned to either iof the r described positions with ported by and extending forwardly from adjacent itheibacki re'stxpi said seat between the sides of the seat, means pivotally connecting said guard bar on said side bar adjacent the iront end of from a lguarding position in front of said pas- V'sengerto an upright position and vice versa,

and means for supporting said side bar.

2. Anautomobile seat safety. guard :comprising a-guard barforza passenger sitting, in said seat in back :of said ban-a side banwmeanspivotally connecting said guard barto said side vbar .adjacent the front end. .of said side Abarfor.indici/nent; along f an upright plane: from: arv guarding position in front of saidpasseng'erato an. upright :position and vice-versa', and a U-shaped bracket/connected to the rear of said side barradaptedto loe-positioned overthe back rest .of said seat iondetachably supporting said guard on' said` seat.

' 3. Ari-automobile seat-safety Vguard comprising la guard bar fora; passenger sitting .fini said seat in ba'ck'of said bar,fa side bar, means :pivotally connecting saidguard barto said side bar adjacent the -front end-.ot said side bar: for movement along an uprightxplanefrom a guarding positionf in 'front :of said: passenger `.to an'v upright position and vice versa, al U-shaped-.bracketconnected to the rear of said side bar adapted :to be positioned over thefbackrest of said'v seat Vfor detachablysupporting'. said guard on: said?. seat, and means for clamping said 'bracket'fto said back rest. Y Y

y 4. Anautomobile seat safety guard-adapted to be detachably' mounted 'on the4 back rest fof the seat comprising a'guard bar,` a side bar extending transversely withfrespect to the guard bar, means connecting theguardbar -to'the side bar: adjacent one end .of the side vbar for' Ipivotal movement about'tlie axisof said side bar rwliereby'said guard bar can'bemovedirom a guarding position in front of a `passenger sitting in said seatto an uprightposition and vice versa, stops forilimiting movement of said guard barvatfboth said positions; and a U-j-shaped bracket connectedto the opposite end of said sid-e bar `adapted to be Ypositioned over the back rest of said seat for detachably supporting said gua-rdonsaid seat.

5. An automobile seat safetyguard adapted to bedetachablyfmounted on the back rest of the seat comprising'a guard bar,a side bar extending .transversely with respect'to the guard bar, means connecting the guard bar tothe side bar i adjacent one end of the side bar for pivotal either of apertures i2,l asf-the case may be, regis- L movement about the axisof said. sidebar whereby. said guard bar canine :neovedirornna guarding. position. front .-ofapassengensitting Vin said, seat to an upright position and viceiyersa, stops .for vlimitingmovement. of. said. guard bar at both said positions,ilatchingmeans for.- holding. said guard baum-...both saidl positions, a U- shaped bracket connected.. to -the yopposite end `of said side bar adapted to be positioned over the back rest of said seat for detachably supporting said guard on said seat, a strip extending lengthwise of and movably connected to the rear leg of said bracket, and a screw threaded in said rear leg to apply pressure to said strip for clamping the bracket to said back rest.

6. An automobile seat safety guard comprising mounting means attached to the back rest of the seat at a position spaced inwardly from each of the sides of the seat so that the mounting means is between the sides of the seat, a single side bar between said seat sides fixedly attached at its rear end to said mounting means and eX- tending forwardly from said mounting means. a guard bar extending transversely with respect to said side bar with one end thereof adjacent a side of the seat in the guarding position of said guard bar, and means pivotally connecting the opposite end of said guard bar to the front end of said side bar for swinging movement in an upright plane from the guarding position to an upright position between the seat sides and vice Versa.

7. An automobile seat safety guard comprising a U-shaped bracket, means detachably clamping said bracket over the back rest of the seat at a position spaced inwardly from each of the sides of the seat so that the bracket is between the sides of the seat, a single side bar between said seat sides xedly attached at its rear end to said bracket and extendingforwardly from said bracket, a guard bar extending transversely with respect to said side bar with one end thereof adjacent a side of the seat in the guarding position of said guard bar, and means pivotally connecting the opposite end of said guard bar to the front end of said side bar for swinging movement in an upright plane from the guarding position to an upright position between the seat sides and vice versa.

ALBERT SINGER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 372,325 Parish Nov. 1, 1887 1,049,080 Greene Dec. 31, 1912 1,405,309 Matthews Jan. 31, 1922 1,973,011 Morrison Sept. 11, 1934 2,244,650 Curran et a1 June 3, 1941 2,349,109 OKeeife May 16, 1944 2,592,702 Sprung Apr. 15, 1952 2,592,879 Eyerly Apr. 15, 1952 

